Atalheim History

From World of Charun

The founder of Atalheim, Randvar son of Leikr, was a Northman in service of Eirikur Ivarson, King of Ulvhavn. He was sent to the Old Land in 355 IV with the mission of mapping out the region and establishing a colony and trading post for Northman ships to resupply in. In 360 IV, after five years of endeavours and adventures, Randvar had finally established strong enough alliances in the region to begin building what was to become Nyhavn. King Eirikur was pleased with the development and gave him the title of Jarl, with the right of ruling the colony and having a hird, which is a gathering of warriors in his service.

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Nyhavn's Rise and Fall

The struggle over the throne that followed King Eirikur's death in 361 IV brought a stop to commerce, which greatly drained the Ulvhavian treasury. This eventually led to the new king pulling back his support from the Nyhavn colony, since it could not be afforded. Randvar Leikrson was offered returnal to Ulvhavn, with the right to his title "Jarl" and to his hird - but he denied it. Instead he decided to establish Nyhavn as a nation of its own, and an announcement followed shortly. Even though a small realm, with a hird of merely 20 warriors and twice as many commoners, it prospered slowly but surely under Randvar's skills within trade.

In Giarda 364 IV a Kanjite fleet was spotted near Ormhand's Gap, sailing south towards the Old Land. The ships held 8 full divisions of the Royal Army of Kanjo under the direct command of High Commander Prabir Mandhatri. Randvar, among other representatives of newly founded nations in the Old Land, had refused becoming vassals under Kanjo, so trouble could be expected. Randvar Leikrson quickly proceeded with evacuating the inhabitants of his settlement, Nyhavn, and burning it to the ground. The refugees began their travel to Larmenius.

"Better Nyhavn to burn than those bastards to have it. If Nyhavn is to fall, it will fall on my terms, not theirs."
- Randvar Leikrson

The war known as the Old Land Stand followed, and Randvar with his hird was found in the middle of it. Even though they were a small force without a nation, they performed well. The war ended with the Battle of Blood Valley in Zurkah 364 IV, where the Kanjite were defeated and driven off the shores of the Old Land.

Founding of Atalheim

Following the Old Land Stand, Randvar and his spouse Kathleen swiftly set their plans into motion. The nation of Atalheim was announced on the 3rd of Brunat 364 IV, with King Randvar Leikrson and Queen Kathleen as rulers. A territory large enough to support a population was simultaneously laid claim to, with the future capital Dagandal located not far from the schorched ruins of Nyhavn, which enabled the workers to use some of the building materials that could be salvaged.

Kathleen was in Ulvhavn at the time, at Randvar's father's house, where their daughter Frithr was born only two days prior to the announcement. She stayed there for nearly a year, while Randvar oversaw the building of Dagandal. The Castle, Academy and Saghalla were the most prominent buildings in the plan, with the rest consisting mainly out of traditional Northman houses.

In 366 IV most of the buildings were finished, except for the Castle that was still being constructed. The town occupied the same area that is today known as the 'Old Walls' of Dagandal, and had a population of 2000. King Randvar had a great vision though, and he relentlessly sought ways to further expand the nation.

Blood for Iron

One of the most unconventional moves of Randvar Leikrson was his attempts to provoke discussions with King Goreclaw of Orcwood regarding trade and perhaps even military cooperation. He founded the expression 'blood for iron', where he was prepared to pay with iron goods in return for military aid. The Dhazzir invasion in the northern Old Land concerned Randvar, and he feared a possible advancement southward. His current army would not be able to stop them, and burning yet a town of his was something he'd avoid at all cost.

Discussions between King Randvar and King Goreclaw finally caught on in 368 IV, after years of attempts. Edgar Roughneck, a half-orc native to Orcwood was chosen by Goreclaw as an emissary to handle the discussions, while Vurog the Atalthegn of Atalheim, also a half-orc, was chosen by King Randvar to conduct the discussions on his behalf. An agreement was finally reached in early 369 IV, where Atalheim gained the exclusiveness in the Old Land to import goods from Orcwood in return for fairly priced iron tools and weapons. No agreement concerning possible Ataheim aid against the Dazak, or Orcwood aid against the Dhazzir was reached.

Queensmark

After a period of tensions between King Randvar and Queen Kathleen, the queen decided to in 371 IV express her vision of her new Jarldom 'Queensmark' along the coastline a couple of hours north of Dagandal. The Jarldom was to have a stronghold, operate an army of its own, have an independent court and trading agreements. The long-term plan was also to try and have it develop into a town. She stated that in no way would it under her supervision attempt to break free from Atalheim or compete with Dagandal for supremacy. King Randvar declined this with the motivation of that he had spent his whole life trying to unify the region into one nation, and he was not going to let it be split up from within. He offered Queen Kathleen the permission to build a stronghold if she wanted, but nothing beyond that. The queen declined and spent the following years more and more deeply involved with the Academy and it is said that she grew bitter as the years passed, which could explain the lack of further heirs to the Throne of Atalheim.

Dagandal School of Magic

Queen Kathleen gave the wizard Atticus Tully permission to found a school of magic within the Academy in 372 IV. While tully was already an instructor at the Academy in Dagandal, he had always prefered to create an institution solely devoted to the study and practice of magic. Being a scholar first a foremost, he wanted his legacy to be a new generation of magicians and students. Tully believed that 'wizard' was a title to be earned and that magic was only one aspect of the profession: they were to him equal parts mages, scholars, historians, and trusted advisors. Any student of his was instructed with that in mind. Tully's dismay of sorcerer-priests in combination with him having the crown's ear over time also helped turn the nation slightly against New Powers. Tully also tried to get the King's and Queen's daughter Frithr interested in the arcane with little success. Frithr had always been bold and wild-hearted, traits that later came to decide the future of Atalheim.

Upon his death in 412 IV, Atticus Tully left behind a school fully devoted to magic that had fathered a small magical community within Atalehim. However, following Tully's passing there were no natural successors possessing the devotion and energy required, and the school finally shut down in 436 IV with the space quickly reclaimed by the other activities found within the Academy.

Tully's granddaughter Moira Tully was promoted to the head of the Academy in 424 IV after a courageous endeavour where she single-handidly killed a number of Lizardfolk shamans who were summoning monstrous serpents. She tried to re-open the school of magic, but the lack of interest made the attempt futile.

Queen Frithr

King Randvar was killed in 391 IV during the War of the Northern Mark that was fought against a Hobgoblin invasion. The king, aged 61 at the time, was slain by a Hobgoblin war chieftain and his high shaman. Vurog the Atalthegn retaliated and single-handidly killed the pair, rescuing the king's body.

Upon King Randvar's death, Queen Kathleen passed on the throne to their daughter Frithr, aged 25 at the time. Queen Frithr was an able warrior and a natural leader. She carried on the war and managed to defeat the Hobgoblins in a series of crucial battles during 391 and 392 IV, finally driving them off their territory and all the way to Dun Craig. The threat that had loomed over the nation since its founding was over and Atalheim could now expand freely without the danger of Hobgoblins.

Soon thereafter Queen Frithr turned towards the Orcs and other humanoids of the northeast Crossfields in what was to be known as 'Queen's War'. During the years 393-394 IV she led her forces against them, forcing them to retreat either to Talewood or down into their deep caverns. The campaign was eventually abandoned, due it proved impossible to defeat a foe who sought refuge in caverns.

Atalheim Expands

The conquest over the Hobgoblins in 392 IV led to a new stability in the realm that enabled research rather than warfare. The development led to many improvements, such as better ploughs and the horse collar which allowed more land to be farmed. This made Atalheim's agriculture expand into the wilderness previously only sparsely populated by various humanoid tribes.

Vurog the Atalthegn was sent by Queen Frithr in 396 IV to establish a settlement that would guard the new northern border of Atalheim. After fierce fights against raiding Orcs from Talewood, the walls of Randsala were finally risen in 400 IV. However, Vurog never got to witness the development, due he was killed in a massive fight against the Orcs earlier that year, where he single-handidly is said to have killed 58 foes before being brought down.

Unconventional Marriage

Queen Frithr had by 403 IV expanded Atalheim's borders, claiming a territory nearly five times as large as that of her father's. Still unmarried at the age of 39, she was urged by the queen mother Kathleen to find a husband and deliver a heir to the throne before it was too late. Bold and stubborn, always choosing her own path since childhood, Frithr found a husband few expected in a half-orc.

Goarus Vurog was the son of Hurok, bastard-son of Vurog the first Atalthegn of Atalheim, who had died without knowing that he had fathered a son in his late teens. Goarus and his mother had arrived to Dagandal in 401 IV after hearing of Vurog's death. He had enlisted in the army and taken the names 'Goarus Vurog' to honour his heritage, and thus replacing his old name Durak.

Goarus was 21 years younger than the queen, which in combination with his race caused quite the turbulence, with the marriage being gossipped about across the civilised world. Queen Frithr ignored the comotion and carried on as usual, even though it is suspected that even the queen mother Kathleen adviced her to take a human husband of more suitable age.

Prince Arnvar was born in 404 IV, a slightly larger child in comparison with purely human babies. Regardless of being a quarter orc, the prince was embraced by the Atlir, who had feared that Queen Frithr wouldn't ever deliver a heir to the throne. Arnvar had inherited her mother's blue eyes and fair hair, and his father's jawbone - even though queen mother Kathleen jokingly claimed that it was Randvar's jaw. Kathleen died out of old age and wear two years later in 406 IV at the age of 72, after living a life with a rough beginning and much violence.

A tragedy happened in 408 IV, when King Goarus died in a campaign against the Orcs. He had stayed behind to avlanche a pass so the Orc horde could not descend on the undefended frontier, but was ambushed by a large force and killed.

Queen Frithr passed on the throne of Atalheim to Arnvar in 431 IV, who had married to the daughter of a Northman immigrant, Gunhild Hrafndottir, the year before. King Arnvar and Queen Gunhild had their first child in 435 IV, Prince Gunvar, followed by Prince Atalvar in 437 IV. Their last child, Princess Embla was born in 441 IV.

New Heights

As land over time became plentiful, the need for both land owners and tenant farmers increased, which along with emerging urban centres along the coast promising new opportunities made the population increase - both domestically and through immigration. The population expansion and resettlement reached new heights in the mid 5th century, with Myrrvik being established 445 IV, followed by Lesing the year after. The need for timber led to the founding of Holtlund in 452 IV, with lumbering in southern Twigwood, where the timber was transported by ship to Dagandal or abroad.

Queen Frithr died in 453 IV at the venerable age of 89. She had carried on where her father had left, creating a prominent nation known for its military power, trade and wealth.

King Arnvar grew a few years after his mother's death, and he decided to pass on the throne to Gunvar in 459 IV. Arnvar died in 465 IV out of his illness at the same age of 61 as his grandfather, King Randvar when he died more than 70 years earlier. Gunhild died 12 years later in 477 IV.

King Gunvar married the Islander immigrant Rebecka Rudolph in 466 IV, and they have a daughter, Kathild, born in 470 IV and a son, Ulfvar, born in 472 IV.